antique sailor

AHOY SHIPMATES,

Can't resist this story. I was a cook in the NAVY stationed in Argentia, Nfld. in 1963/64. During lobster season we had LOBSTERS which weighed

between 10 and 13 #'s each in the Commissary store and from local fishermen

When the Officer's wives had parties the liked to have lobster so they could write home about it. That was fine till it was time to cook them. The average kitchen isn't equipped for that event. I was the cook at the small hospital galley on base and had a 40 gal steam kettle. The parties were in the evening well after closing time and clean up time in my galley. I would get a phone call a day about 6pm from a desperate hostess wanting to PAY me to cook her lobsters for them. BEING A LAW ABIDING SAILOR, i WAS'NT ALLOWED TO ACCEPT $$$$ for that task BUT I did work out a deal where 1 of the larger critters would get left behind when they were picked

up. I would melt a #of butter and feast on my huge lobster.

Those lobsters were less than a dollar a # in those days. The ones that large are very rare these days A Maine lobster is about 1 1/2#s today

We all miss the gool old days

Another cut

AHOY SHIPMATE,

I dont think your glass is half empty. It is drained dry.....several times.

I didn't like the International menu but I don't see how it was a "cut" in any way.

AHOY SHIPMATES,

WAS DISCUSSING THE HMC PROBLEM AT CO'S COCKTAIL PARTY RECENTLY AND THEY SAID ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME IT WAS CANCELLED .

i SUGGESTED THAT THE CASINO SHOULD RUN A BETTING LINE ON IT.

3 TO 2 ODDS SHOULD GET THE GAMBLERS STIRRED UP. LOL

Ahoy shipmates,

there is a nasty rumor floating that free room service is about to end. $$$ hasn't been mentioned yet ????

we are cruising out of jacksonville for the first time in october. We will need two rooms the night before and perhaps post cruise as well. I would love to stay at a marriott property because i travel for business and have loads of points. If it is free then it is for me!!

 

There are a number of marriott properties available. All look good on their site but you can't tell the location easily. I googled location of jacksonville cruise port and got two addresses.

 

If anyone can make a suggestion on a good marriott in a safe location with easy access to the port, that would be great! We will be driving. We have not decided if we are going to rent a car and then rent another for the drive back or if we are going to take our vehicle and park it somewhere. We had a not so good experience parking in new orleans last time so we would like something inexpensive, safe and easy peasy.

 

Thanks!

ahoy shipmate,

i have never heard any negative feedback about any of the motels by the air/cruise port. Suggest you call them and inquire about shuttle service to port etc. I have never seen any marriot signs in that area . You still have plenty of time .

You have the addresses ,use map quest or google to see the location you like. They are all on a turnoff from i95 between airport rd and the cruise port(about 6 miles)

AHOY SHIPMATES,

I'VE BEEN ON NEARLY 100 CRUISES ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT CRUISE LINES AND WITNESSED TWO FIGHTS. THIS IS THE TRUTH.

ONE WAS AFTER DINNER AT THE ELEVATOR IN FRONT OF THE MDR. TWO

VERY ELDERLY LADIES WERE BLASTING EACH OTHER WITH THEIR POCKETBOOKS(long straps) and cursing each other. We called security to separate them and when asked what it was all about, one lady replied

I pushed the button for the elevator and when it arrived and the doors opened SHE tried to get on in front of me.

The second one was two "gentlemen" on an excursion bus sitting across the aisle from each other. their wives were in the window seats. At the first stop there was some juggling and shoulder bumping as they both tried to get up and out first. About an hour later at the second stop this happened again....these guys were in their 70's at least..... one turned to the other and landed a full roundhouse on the chin of the other. It was a clean KO.

THIS WAS NOT CARNIVAL BUT IT CAN HAPPEN ANY TIME ANY WHERE, BUT I WOULD NEVER LET IT STOP ME FROM GOING ON ANT PARTICULAR CRUISE LINE BECAUSE OF IT

OF COURSE SECURITY AND STAFF ON BOARD HANDLED BOTH INCIDENTS.

AHOY SHIPMATES,

I guess I'm out of line when I refer to the SOMMELIER AS THE

HEAD WINO.?

I have noticed that the "stuffy "" ones tend to frown .

AHOY SHIPMATES,

CONGRATS TO ALL THE ''UPGRADERS''

WE ALWAYS book very early at the FF guarantee rate and almost always get a pretty good upgrade about 10 days before the cruise when on regular cruise. We did get a super upgrade on the PRINSENDAM on a grand voyage a few years ago. We are happy campers, and very satisfied with this pattern.

Question is; Is this the normal thing from HAL ? We don't discuss specifics with others when on a cruise.? We do get "upsell " offers but they are not good deals and have never taken one.

SEA YA

What was the company/////

? ? ? ? ?

AHOY SHIPMATES,

i JUST FINISHED AN ANSWER TO YOUR SAME QUESTION ON ROLL CALL FOR

20 JUNE

sea ya

AHOY SHIPMATES

I LIVE IN JAX about 15 min from the pier. recommend you google AIRPORT parking and get LATEST info on costs oh Hotels and SHuttles to ship and costs. There are several Motels grouped around turn in to airport and are competitive. I have never heard any complaints about any of them. Parking is run by the local "MAFIA" and I would stay away from the lots that are by the port but NOT the port . Port parking is $15 a day. Double what it is about 6 miles away at the motel area. I have used the parking up by the motels for $7.i5 a day and had no complaints. ( most of the time my neighbor and I trade rides) ASK if you don't the info you need

We often let our swimsuits air dry out on our balconies but this is the first time we will be in a Cove balcony. What do people do when drying their swimsuits out there? Special clips to buy or should we not worry?

 

Thanks!

AHOY SHIPMATE, only THING FAIRLY SAFE ON BALCONY IS WHAT YOU ARE WEARING. LOL

Use the line in the bathroom.

AHOY SHIPMATES,

Something that you are not told on Cruise ships; In most of the European countries especially in the MED it is considered PROPER to check your bill thoroughly and to question any thing you do not understand or agree with. If done in a polite manner you will gain their respect. Remain calm , keep voice down, only one person speak, usually the eldest male in your party.

My first trip to the MED was in 1959 on an Aircraft carrier and have spent many pleasant years over there including 3 years in Naples with the NATO forces. ENJOY

SEA YA

AHOY SHIPMATES,

Tourists eat rather early and the Natives DINE more toward midnight.

As stated above ,there are many good places to eat. It has been my experience that the later hours are by far the best chance of getting "authentic" local food. If someone in your party speaks " real " Spanish ,you will get much better service and food. If you like seafood, I recommend the PAELLA. Do NOT buy any FUNDADOR brandy. It is probably the worst you can get in a bottle with a label.

JMHO

SEA YA

Ahoy shipmates,

the correct , and always correct weigh is small I land.

Put me in with the Bread Pudding lovers group. And, I really like the Vanilla Sauce that is on it as well. (In fact, my traveling companion asked me once when I returned to our table with this dessert: "Do you like a little Bread Pudding with your Vanilla Sauce?")

 

I agree: I do not care for the flavored varieties.

 

Maybe the differences in this dessert depends upon the chef preparing it.

AHOY SHIPMATES,

I HAD BREAD PUDDING on the World cruise in 1997 and it was good.

Unfortunatly it hasn't been good since. I would doubt that any CHEF gets anywhere near it.. A fairly new cooks helper has that dubious task. Only GOD knows who is in charge of the Vanilla sauce?

sea ya

Ahoy shipmate,

usually no fee when picked up in the state. If you are doing it on line double check. Also see if they have free shuttle service to the piers.....ssome dont for some companies. Keep your contract handy !!

you have to check the 'detail' or 'conditions' it is deeeeeep in the fine print.

ahoy shipmate,thanks

AHOY SHIPMATES,

Are BELMONT STEAKS really HORSE MEAT ????????

SEA YA

When we sailed on Celebrity 9 years ago, their coffee was awful. Some crazy concentrate they mixed with hot water to get "coffee". There was one place on the ship to get a real, brewed cup of coffee. My question is, on Noordam do they also use the concentrate or do they really brew coffee. If they use the concentrate, is there someplace to get "real" coffee?

 

Thanks!

AHOY SHIPMATE,

COFFEE is one of my pet peeves on cruise ships. The terrible coffee you referred to was actually a syrup that was mixed with 208 degree water in the urn. The industry misled the wholesale world with sharp salesmen and a cheap price, WHEN DEMOS WERE HELD AN EXACT AMT OF SYRUP was mixed with an exact amt of almost boiling water and then consumed within 5 minutes of making. IT WAS VERY GOOD, but as you all know this is not the real world when serving in volume. so it was a disaster for a few years until the contract ran out.

THE COFFEE GROUNDS USED TODAY ARE PRETTY GOOD (mostly packaged in Holland) but the coffee is brewed in too large a quantity and kept too long in the urn. A COFFEE URN SHOULD BE DRAINED AND CLEANED.... HOURLY.... also the urns are controlled by microchip and the ships waterlines do not maintain a constant pressure which messes up the microchip and causes the finished product to generally be way too strong.

the coffee at the coffee bar is brew a cup at a time and a" gormet" brand,

so it tastes much better. The coffee in the main dining room is brewed at the beginning of each seating and NOT BAD.

YES I was a teacher at the military cooking school for 3 years and did this class every 6th week.

SEA YA

there is a memorial day sale -- check those out. On the home page

ahoy shipmate,

i'm old but still see pretty good. Didnt find anything. I may have have missed it..

I have 4 hal cruises booked now and would love to call them about any perks i can hustle. I'm a natural cheapskate.

Sea ya

i am ex. Belgian navy and airforce, ( still reserve cops.) but have never been offered any discount for any cruise, airline, hotel...and don't expect one either.

 

If hal or any other cruiseline wants to express gratitude to military personnel ( although all military personnel goes into the military on a voluntary basis and risk is part of the job description) then it better be for any nation's soldiers and not only for a single nationality...

 

D.

ahoy shipmate

i have seen canadian and australian etc get extra drinks on board if they speak up. No discrimination ever seen

hoping you can help! Is there texas holdem on the maasdam?

yes, they will hold daily tournaments and live cash game if at least 5 players request it ahead of time. Ask the manager. Sometimes the host is slow in getting it organized.

the memorial day sale for selected cruises offers a $50 obc for military.

ahoy shipmates,

sure would like to see a list of "selected cruises"

cant find them on hal website.

? ? ? ?

i thought that hal used to give a $50 fare discount to at least active duty military. Bad memory or is that still true? By the time the ex and i started cruising she had retired from the army so i don't recall ever even researching the active duty opportunity. Doesn't help that she and i only took one cruise before we split so it wasn't like there were a lot of opportunities or reasons for me to look into the possibilities or opportunities for vets or retired service members.

ahoy shipmate,

dw and i have cruised extensively on hal since 1996 as active duty and retired military and there has never been any perks. The closest they came to one was a free drink at the ret mil get together on the cruises but they stopped that for a while and i went all the way to the capt and now it's pretty much left to the cd to decide but he doesn't personally host them anymore.

Sea ya